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[C191]Carb Diet Weight Loss

by Nathan Lynch, Nat

Eat more fruit and vegetables, aiming for at least five portions a day. Include fruit at breakfast and salad at lunch. Reduce the amount of salt by eating less processed food, such as ready meals, and adding a smaller amount of salt to food. Eat a varied diet. Change your shopping list every week to help keep you out of unhealthy food ruts and make eating more enjoyable. Eat regular meals - although it doesn't matter when you eat your food, a consistent schedule helps most people to control their diet and their weight. Control your portion sizes so that over time, if not necessarily every day, the amount of energy you consume matches your level of activity. Try to be more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Activity helps to regulate your appetite, and means that you can eat more without gaining weight. Drink alcohol only within sensible limits: not more than 14 units per week for women, and no more than three in any one day, and not more than 21 units per week for men, and no more than four in any one day.

The current most popular fad diet is the Lo Carb or Atkins diet. It restricts carbohydrate rich foods, thereby restricting total daily calories. Phase One of the four in the Atkins Diet consists of between 1400 to 1500 total daily calories. The average adult female consumes around 2200 calories daily and the average adult male consumes around 2800 calories daily. Almost any adult will lose weight if they consume 800 to 1300 fewer calories daily. Phase One of the Atkins Diet also restricts carbohydrate intake to only 20 grams of net carbohydrates daily. The definition of net carbohydrates is total grams of carbohydrates per serving minus dietary fibre per serving. Dietary fibre is the non-digestible remains of plant products found in beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Carbohydrates are the body's preferred fuel source. In the near future there will be a recommended dietary allowance, or R.D.A., for carbohydrates of 130 grams daily. 130 grams of carbohydrates our body needs daily is for the proper functioning of the central nervous system and production of red blood cells. Only during Phase Four of the Atkins Diet are participants allowed up to 120 grams of net carbohydrate daily. Low carbohydrate diets are nothing new, they have been around since the 1860's and the Atkins Diet first came out in the early 1970's.

Most nutrition experts agree that to be successful in weight loss a person needs to keep the weight off for 5 years. Over 90% of people who take weight off through a fad diet like the Atkins Diet gain the weight back in less than one year. Participants on the Atkins Diet lose between 10 to 12 pounds in the first several weeks but this is only water loss, not fat. One pound of fat contains 3500 calories. Therefore to lose 10 pounds of fat in several weeks you would need to consume 35,000 fewer calories or burn 35,000 calories more through exercise. Neither is likely to happen.

So, the best way to lose weight and become more healthy is to eat a balanced diet. Don't cut out all your carbs, but don't go overboard with them either. In addition to eating well, exercise in a proportional amount to what you are eating. Exercising too much is as bad as exercising too little.

If you are no stranger to the diet world, you are probably wondering what the difference is between the low calorie diets and the low carb diets. Scientists doing high protein low carb diet research have found that there is a dramatic difference in the way our bodies respond to the two basic types of dieting.

The low carbohydrate diets have one obvious difference - they are much lower in starches and sugars. But that is not the important difference in this case. It's how our metabolism and bodily functions react to the change in food intake.

It's a "Need" Versus "Want" Dilemma

In the more traditional approach to weight loss programs, the main emphasis is placed on the amount of food ingested and the number of calories consumed. A major difference with the low carb diets is the focus tends to be not on how much you eat, but rather how much you want to eat. BIG difference here. It's a matter of limiting the supply of food to the body versus altering the body's demand for food.

Our bodies require certain levels of calories just to function properly. Determining exactly what that number is can be next to impossible to compute. Our requirements fluctuate daily depending on our levels of activity, and can vary up to 25% from person to person. So, is it better to push calories into your system without knowing what is really required, or letting your body tell you what it needs?

The Problem with the Typical Reduced Calorie Diet

A major issue with your host of low calorie diets is that it isn't natural. They generally advocate starving your system by eating less, therefore consuming fewer calories. This may work for a short while, but your body will fight back. Common reactions include:

* Difficulty concentrating
* Experiencing food cravings
* Fatigue
* Sense of constant hunger
* Irritability
* Depression

Of course, there are some individuals who can power through these reactions through sheer will power, but the odds state that most will lose this battle with their body's biology.

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

Now that you know why the simple reduced calorie diets generally fail, let's look at an alternative - the low carbohydrate diet. If you can make your body require less food, while burning body fat for energy, you will lose weight. The fact is that individuals on a low carb diet lower their calorie intake by default, a natural added benefit.

The result will be that your body will seem satisfied even with the reduced food intake. This is key! You will begin to work with your body instead of fighting its natural tendencies for storing more and more fuel. High protein low carb diet research indicates that individuals who respond well to this diet don't experience the feeling that their bodies are constantly craving more food. So, as the saying goes; "Go with the current rather than trying to fight it" - it's a much easier and rewarding way to get where you're heading!

Article Source : Fast Weight Loss

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Both Nathan Lynch & Bill Wilson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Nathan Lynch has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Bull Terrier Dogs and Education. Get incredible concotions quickly and Easily at Carbohydrate Net.. Nathan Lynch's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.

Bill Wilson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Stretch Marks, fast weight loss and Education. Bill Wilson is a professional researcher and writer for popular weight loss publications. To learn about your low carb diet options, visit for inf. Bill Wilson's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.